Category Trading Manager

Location: Gloucestershire – Hybrid Working
Salary: £50,000 basic salary
Job Type: Permanent, Full-Time
Sector: eCommerce | KBB | Kitchens | Interiors | Retail

The Opportunity

We are recruiting for an exciting Category Trading Manager opportunity with a rapidly growing, eCommerce-led omnichannel retailer operating within the kitchen products, worktops and interiors market.

Established in 2009, the business has achieved consistent and profitable growth and today sells over 130,000 worktops every year. Its flagship brand has established itself as the UK's number one online worktop retailer.

The company also forms part of the materials division of a €1bn+ international group, providing access to an extensive portfolio of global surface and materials brands.

With ambitious plans to accelerate growth through new products, new categories and further development of its existing ranges, the business is now looking to appoint a commercially driven Category Trading Manager.

This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who loves products, understands what makes a category commercially successful and can identify where the next growth opportunity lies.

The Role

As Category Trading Manager, you will take responsibility for the commercial performance, development and profitability of key product categories.

You'll analyse what the business is selling today, understand what's performing and why, identify gaps within existing ranges and use market insight to determine where future opportunities exist.

This is a highly commercial role combining category management, buying, product development, supplier management, data analysis and trading strategy.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Managing category sales, margin, performance and profitability
• Identifying opportunities and gaps within existing product ranges
• Conducting range reviews and recommending product additions, rationalisation and improvements
• Identifying commercially viable new products and categories
• Using sales data, customer feedback, competitor activity and wider market trends to inform category decisions
• Leading new product development and supporting products from initial concept through to launch
• Building and developing strong strategic supplier relationships
• Leading supplier, pricing, contract and commercial negotiations
• Securing competitive pricing, commercial terms and sustainable margins
• Identifying opportunities for product innovation and differentiation
• Working closely with Merchandising to optimise product ranges, availability and performance
• Collaborating with eCommerce and Marketing teams to maximise product launches, promotions and online visibility
• Monitoring competitor pricing, products and positioning
• Maintaining appropriate product quality and compliance standards
• Supporting the Head of Buying & Merchandising with longer-term category and product strategy
• Exploring opportunities to collaborate with other businesses and brands across the wider international Group

About You

We are looking for someone who is commercially curious, analytical and product focused, with the ability to look beyond the numbers and identify where genuine growth opportunities exist.

You will ideally have previous experience within Category Management, Buying or Trading, preferably gained within retail, eCommerce, KBB, interiors, home improvement, building products or another product-led environment.

You should be comfortable managing both the analytical and relationship-driven elements of the role – from reviewing sales and margin data to negotiating directly with suppliers and identifying exciting new products.

The successful candidate will ideally demonstrate:

• Previous experience within category management, retail buying, trading or product management
• Strong commercial and financial acumen
• Experience managing and developing product categories
• Excellent analytical skills with the ability to interpret sales, margin and performance data
• Strong Excel skills
• Proven supplier negotiation and relationship-management experience
• Experience conducting range reviews and identifying product opportunities
• An understanding of pricing, margin and profitability
• Strong awareness of customer behaviour, competitor activity and market trends
• The ability to identify exciting products with genuine commercial potential
• Excellent communication, influencing and stakeholder-management skills
• A proactive and entrepreneurial approach
• The confidence to challenge existing ranges and make commercially driven recommendations

Experience of international sourcing and global supply chains would be advantageous, and there may be occasional travel as part of the role.

What's On Offer?

In addition to a £50,000 basic salary, the successful candidate will receive:

• Hybrid working
• 25 days' annual leave + Bank Holidays
• Holiday entitlement increasing with service to a maximum of 30 days
• Additional Celebration Day
• Company pension
• Medicash health plan
• Generous staff discount
• Friends & family discount
• The opportunity to join a profitable and rapidly growing business
• Exposure to a major international group and global materials brands
• Genuine opportunity to influence new product and category development

Why This Role?

This isn't simply about maintaining an existing product range.

The business has significant growth ambitions and wants someone who will challenge, innovate and identify what's next.

You'll have the opportunity to influence which products the business sells, how categories develop and where future investment is made – making this an excellent opportunity for an ambitious Category Manager or Buyer looking for greater commercial ownership.

For a confidential conversation, please contact:

Gemma Creasey
Managing Director | Oval Deene Recruitment
📞 01933 449975
📧 gemma@ovaldeene.co.uk